334 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. iie 



Cerceris.noTth. of the Mexican border. In spite of the fact that many 

 of Bank's species have proven to be synonyms, his contribution has 

 been outstanding. The work of H. S. Smith and C. E. Mickel in 

 Nebraska is worthy of special note. In describing new Mexican 

 species, Saussm-e (1867) and Cameron (1890) included several species 

 found subsequently to range north of the Mexican border. Numerous 

 other workers have added one or more species to the present list. 



A summary of all contributors (with the number of species described 

 and their principal publication dates in parentheses) is as follows: 

 Say (4, 1823, 1825, 1837); Spinola (1, 1841); Dahlbom (2, 1845); 

 Guerin (2, 1845) ; F. Smith (4, 1856) ; Cresson (20, 1865, 1872) ; Packard 

 (1, 1866) ; Saussure (6, 1867) ; Taschenberg (1, 1875) ; Patton (1, 1880) ; 

 Schletterer (1, 1887) ; Provancher (1, 1888) ; Cameron (4, 1890, 1904); 

 Fox (2, 1893) ; Cockerell (1, 1897) ; Viereck (1, 1902) ; Viereck and Cock- 

 erell (17, 1904); H. S. Smith (2, 1903); Rohwer (6, 1908, 1920); 

 Banks (52, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1923, 1947); Mickel 

 (15, 1916, 1917); Brknley (5, 1927, 1928, 1929). 



Fourteen new species and 12 new subspecies are described by the 

 author in the present paper. 



Biology. — Members of the genus Cerceris are solitary in their 

 nesting habits although several females usually are found nesting close 

 together. The grouping of several nests in the same area has been 

 considered to be the result of the suitability of soil conditions and the 

 availability of food for both larvae and adults. Krombein's observa- 

 tions (1936) on C. nigrescens F. Smith, however, indicate there are 

 exceptions. Apparently the adults feed solely on nectar and pollen, 

 while the larvae are fed beetles.^ Only a limited number of species of 

 Cerceris have been studied carefully to determine their nesting and 

 feeding habits. Most species of Cerceris use some species of weevil to 

 feed their young. On the other hand, the females of Group II are 

 known to use Buprestidae. Both species forming Group IV {macro- 

 sticta Viereck and CockereU and jemurruhrum Viereck and CockereU) 

 are known to use Tenebrionidae. Recently, Werner (1960) reported 

 C. truncata Cameron using three species of Bruchidae in Arizona. C. 

 convergens Viereck and Cockerell also has been recorded collecting 

 Bruchus sp. in southern California. Several species of Cerceris have 

 been found to collect ChrysomeUdae. 



One observation recorded by J. C. Bridwell in unpublished notes is of 

 special interest. Females of C. fumipennis Say under observation at 

 Clifton, Virginia, were found "to be storing their nests with adult 



2 Some European species of Cerceris are known to store solitary bees as food for 

 their young. For a brief discussion and references, the reader is referred to Linslcy 

 and MacSwain (1956, p. 72). The records of Cerceris collecting insects other than 

 beetles in this country are open to question. 



